San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-12-29
CHAPTER xxxIv.-A YEAR LATER.

Colonel Beauregard called in Upper
Brook Street before Mrs. Langley and her
niece left town, but it happened that Va
lerie was out, and perhaps he was best
pleased not to meet her just yet A week
later he took Lady ElinOr abroad for a
month, and when she returned home he
started for a longer tour. He could not
stay at home-there was no rest there
there was no rest anywhere.
Mrs. Langley wintered between Paris
and Rome. She knew Colonel Beauregard
was not in England, and if cOnqueStS make
happiness, then Ia belle Herbert should
have been the happiest of women; but if
she broke hearts-as they said she did-her
own suffered nothing in the process. Was
it not well-nigh broken already Painters
painted her; poets wrote sOnnets TO her;
she lived in clouds of incense, yet no love
pleading had power to stir her pit. 3e; no
homage, no splendor Of adulatiOn to dead
en- even for an hour, even for an instant,
the passionate crying of her heart:
God knows that | would give
All other joys, the sweetest and the best,
For one short hour to live
Close 10 thy heart, its comfort and its rest
was the burden of her ceaseless cry. All
other joys-ay, all future life-for one hour
OIL lneIldDle udpplIeSS.
But in the late spring London received
its dtUG again; lovelier than ever, many
said, and maybe they were right; for Va
lerie had suffered much-suffered still
and TN nathos of suffering lends to beauty
O surprising Ih9rm.
In the middle Of I,.e" Lady ElinOr came
up to Whitehall Gardens, AID with her
Angela Musgrave. The widow could now
enter a little into society; besides. Angela
needed a chaperon, and Colonel Beaure-
gard was coming home. What different
homecoming from that other-thirteen
months agOl
1--WE must have some people at Abbot's
Leigh this autumn" said Lady Elinor. II
am sure Max will be most willing"
She sat in the drawing room in the eve
ming in early July. Colonel BeaureGard
was expected every minute, and by her
side was a girl some four years her Junior
very like her, but more strictly pretty
only with the same furtiye glance of the
eye, and the same slight downward curve
of the lips
Lady Elinor looked very interesting in
her weeds, and she knew it; and Angela
whose papa, It seemed, could spare her
now-wore white with black trimmings.
eyes, indeed" she assented. Whom
do you think of asking, Nellie'"
"We cannot have large party, you know,
dear. Well, Mrs. Dudley for one, and Amy
Linwood; Lord Westbrock, Mr. Dallas, of
course-and-suppos We must ask Mrs.
Langley and Valerie; but the girl will be
setting all the men by the earsr'
And she'll certainly do all she can to
get Max, observed Angela. "She threw
over Aston LawfOrd for nothing elseI"
A carriage stopped; knock at the door.
Lady ElinOT rose quickly. A minute later
there was light step on the stairs, the
drawing-room door opened. and, with a
cry Of genuine delight, Lady Elinor threw
herself into her brOther-in-law's arms.
"Ohl Max" she said, 81 am so glad to
see yOun'
Dear Nelln' He kissed her affection
ately, and then turned to Angela. An
gela, toOE" he said holding ont his hand.
But stay-Ithin l must claim brothers
right here also" and he stopped and kissed
the girls forehead
When the three were at dinner Lady Eli
nor presently made her proposition.
Il have set my heart, Max" she said
''on having some people at AbbOt's Leigh
this autumn-nOt a great many, of course. ("
VERY well, l suppose you have already
fixed on the peopley" he said, laughing
Women generally arrange preliminaries
before they make an assault"
You ought not to object to military
tactiCsr' retorted she. Yes, l have fixed
[Tb y GeHsaR:1dI